We have long been of the opinion that there is almost nothing that can’t be improved by tap dancing. (Admittedly, our next-door neighbours may disagree, given the amount of tap noise that comes from our house.) So a show co-produced and co-choreographed by world-renowned tap dancer, Adam Garcia was always going to be right up our street. Billed as what would happen if Riverdance and Stomp had a baby, Emerald Storm shuffles back into London’s Emerald Theatre for a limited run this winter. We ventured into Embankment on Saturday night to catch this joyful celebration of dance.
The munchkins weren’t initially best pleased at being dragged into town after a full day of dance classes, and were even more reluctant to take their tap shoes with them for the post-show tap jam. But even the moodiest of t(w)eens are no match for the magic of tap dance! And the tap in this production is so impressive that Crotchet (notoriously unimpressed and a strong tapper herself) soon had her jaw on the floor.
It’s an entertaining production from start to finish – in fact, even before the action officially begins. There’s a really nice soft start as singer, Robbie Browning warms the crowd up with some well known Irish songs, accompanied by Sebastian Ramnauth on cajon (a box shaped percussion instrument). We got there quite early so we were able to enjoy a drink while soaking in the atmosphere.
The table seating and comfortable armchairs in the stalls contribute towards something of a cruise ship vibe, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s a pleasant, relaxed environment and the focus is on enjoying the spectacle. The downside of the seating arrangements, however, is that the most expensive seats prove to be less than ideal when the dancing starts – a combination of very low chairs and a row of large light bulbs across the front of the stage make it really difficult to see the dancers’ feet. We would actually recommend sitting up in the gallery for a better overall view.
It’s very much a dance show, with no story to it, although there is a recurring skit involving Mop Boy (Matt Walker) who – spoiler alert – turns out to be a rather excellent tap dancer when he eventually gets the opportunity to show off his stuff, both alone and alongside lead tapper, Bayley Graham. There’s some ridiculously difficult tap on display, which really ramps up towards the end of the show.
It’s well matched by the Irish dancing, led by former competitive dancer, Olivia Graydon. We’re not familiar enough with Irish to give an informed view on technique, beyond saying that we’re not sure we knew that human feet could move that fast! Graydon also dealt admirably with an unfortunate slip on Saturday night (an ever-present peril of live performance, and a good example for the munchkins, who have seen plenty of their peers fall in competitions).
The cast is rounded out by an ensemble of tappers, Irish dancers and singers, who perform variously in groups and solo numbers. All the dance numbers are fantastic, especially when the Irish and tap dancers come together in an electrifying fusion of styles. The female chorus feels rather underused, with more prominence given to lead singer, The Boss (Tom Ball). There are also some slightly quirky song choices but overall it’s a really feel-good show with some familiar tunes. It’s very loud though (both the music and the tap) so it’s worth bringing ear plugs if you have them.
The absolute highlight of the evening for us though, was the tap jam at the end. Ticket holders are encouraged to bring tap shoes if they have them, and everyone is invited up on stage. Although we had encouraged them to bring the tap shoes, we really weren’t expecting both munchkins to get up and join in. Quaver is usually up for this sort of thing but Crotchet is a child who steadfastly sinks low in her seat at the prospect of audience participation. However, she was so inspired by what she had seen on stage that she decided to give it a go.
Neither of them realised that they were going to have to improvise – one at a time! – but the atmosphere was so welcoming that they felt comfortable joining in with the large group of people (of all different abilities) who bravely ventured on stage. It was an utterly fantastic end to the evening and a shining example of how dance can bring people together like nothing else. (Mummy and Mrs Mummy were glad they stayed in their seats though!)
Emerald Storm plays at the Emerald Theatre from 25 November to 14 December 2025. We received two complimentary tickets to the evening performance on 29 November. We also bought another two tickets (and we’re very glad we did!)
Image credit: Nick Brooker